Adjustable sliding awning



April 21, 1953 A. E. RICE ADJUSTABLE SLIDING AWNING 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 22, 1950 f m b? ATTORNEYS April 21, 1953 A. E. RICE ADJUSTABLE SLIDING AWNING 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed May 22, 1950 INVENTOR. fir Z0 E. iP z/c e ATTD RN EYE :nmhemross:bars;:showingthelowen-sectionssepatrated fiiomthe"uppensectlon. V

Patented Apr. 21, 1953 TADJUSTABLE'SLIDINGAWNING i Aflo1E. Rice; Minera1iWells; Tex.

xAp neatnm:'Mayi22, 1950; 'setialnoiiaaaso 5 Claims.

This invention relates to an awningor cover,

andmore particiiiarlfto"arfawnin'gfora vehicle, such'as an-automobile.

"" The'object of the invention is "to provide an awning whichisadjustamy'mountedon the top of a' vehicle, v'v'l rereby the"awning' can bemove'd into and outofoperative-position on the Vehicle whenit is to'ibe used, the awning helping to preserve theii'fe ofthe' vehicle; aswelr as increasing themonifoitto the'oc'cupants thereof.

Anothenobject" of" the inventibn is to "provide an 'adjusta'ble" awning assembly for the top on vehicle whichis constructedso that "articles; such "'asluggageycan be conveniently supported-on the .'vehicle;-'-and the awning serving=top'revent hail and the like from damaging' the vehicle. a t r"ob e t-of*theinventiondstogprovide an aWningassemmy"whichis extremely' -si b fan'd' inexpensivto manufacture.

j Otherpbjectsand. advantages will" be' 'appa'rent during fthecourse"of the"'foi1o'wing "description.

awning "assembly""oi thefpresent'"invention" at- FigureBiis a 'top .plan'view'of "the' 'awning'assembly of'thepresent'invention;

. Figure4"isa"fragmentary; Bottom," plan view .showing' certain "constructional details "of the "awning" assembly V Figure 5 is a sectional view taken onftheline "Figure 6 'isa'rra'gmentar elevational viewer one of the cros's"bars,iwith parts 'broken'away ianddn section;

Figure 7*"is a 'sectional view taken'onthe line Figure 9 is an enlargedi-elevatlonal view ofi one "the accompanyingdrawingsforming--apart ot his"application; and"inwhich -*like*numerals hicle;

Referring in'detail to the -drawings'fthet numeral 20 designates a portion of a conventional vehicle such'as an automobileifii'gure 1-;- theautomobile "20 including-the usualgutters-QZ and'ftop 2|. The gutters 22rare for thepurposeoficonvenientlyconveying' awayrain fromthe' top- M of the .vehicle.

'Thepresent'invention isdirectedto anaa'wn'ing assembly for "mounting "on' the"top ofthe*'-vehicle 20, whereby the aWningassemblY-Of the present invention" willhave'prolonged the :life of the vehicle, and also theawning assembly will-fienable occupant :ofthe vehicle-to ride inrgreatericomfort.

The" awning assembly "of the" present' invention includesa frame Hf-the frame-'23tembodyingza pair of spaced;parallerbodymembersM. *Each of the bodym'embers '24 -hasthetsame construction, "and each comprises 1 an *arcuatera'il "25. Each of the'rails 25t'has': its Treeer'idsterminating in u horizontally disposed "legs 16, ."Figure "l. Formedintegrally'With'crsecured to each 'endof the legs! 6" is a foot".2Lfthe foot '21 "beinlgrttfarrangedoffset with respect to the1egf26. *Aiihorizontally disposed rod28 extends between; the. pair of feet 21'jon each of"the body'"membersflhiand the rod28' is connectedto' these feetiby suitalo'le boltandenut. assemblies"! 9. i It will be. seenlithat therear two oflithe 'rods"2, Iandtheserodsare .arrangediin. spaced, paralleltrelation. with. respect to each other. Arranged at [right angleswithgrespectto the rod28 is. a pair. of spaced,.iparallehi-horizontellly disposed braces SOTFigure'Z. LThe' braces" 3 0; each have their ends linterposed I between. the; feet?! I and the rods 28, and suitableebolteandsnut tassemblies 31 extend throughrthei' feet '21, Tthroug'h a lug: '33 that projectstfrom eachuof thejlfeetl'luto a shoulder. or enlargement 34 ':on..thel-braces; 3I0,

Figure2. p I v Projecting downwardly. from .theerod. a

plurality of suction cupsL35, lthe isuctioncups ifli being arranged inenga ement with:-lthe,top-. 2 to:

ithe'vehicle. These suctioncups 35,prov'ideaasnpport for the-awning assembly, andalsohelp;-to

maintain the awning 1 assembly :immobile, on .,the

top ofethe automobile.

A further meansris providedlforuanchoring the frame or awning assembly on the top-ofJthe- -ve- This means comprises a plurality of fiexiblea straps: 36. One of;the-stra.-psi-3fiiisgarranged braces 30. Each of the straps 38 includes a buckle 31, whereby the length of the strap 38 may be adjusted as desired, and arranged on the free end of the strap 35 is a hook 38. The hooks 38 of the straps 38 are adapted to be arranged in engagement with the gutters 22 of the vehicle, so as to provide an additional anchoring means for the awning assembly on the vehicle. It will be seen that a pair of the hooks 38 engage each of the gutters 22.

A bracket 40 is secured to each of the rods 28 by suitable securing elements, such as rivets 4|. Each of the brackets 40 is provided with an eye or opening 42. Thus, articles of luggage and the like may be supported on the top of the vehicle and arranged between the pair of braces 30. Then, suitable straps can be inserted through the openings 42 in the brackets 48 and arranged in engagement with these articles of luggage, so that the luggage will not accidental- 1y fall off the top of the vehicle while being transported.

Extending between the rails 25 is a plurality of cross bars 43. Each of the cross bars 43 includes an upper section 44 which is provided with a cut-away portion 45, Figure 9, and a bottom section 46 is adapted to fit snugly in the cut-away portion 45. The bottom section 46 and the upper section 44 are detachably connected together by a plurality of bolt-and-nut assemblies 41, Figure 7. The cross bars 43 are slidably or adjustably mounted on the pair of rails 25, so that the cross bars 43 can be manually moved along the rails 25 as desired.

Extending between the cross bars 43 is an elongated, flexible cover or awning 48 which may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as canvas or cloth. The cover 48 is positioned between the upper section 44 and the lower section 48 of the cross bars 43, and the cover 48 is connectecl to the cross bars by the bolt-and-nut assemblies 41. The two end cross bars are designated by the numeral 43. Connected to each of the end cross bars 43 is a pair of hook members 49, and the hook members 49 are adapted to be arranged in engagement with an eye 58. It will be seen that a pair of the eyes 50 are provided'for each of the body members 24, the eyes 50 being arranged adjacent to the connection of the rail 25 and the leg 26. By arranging the hook members 49 in engagement with the eyes 50, the cover 48 can be maintained in its operative or extended position. The hook members 49 are pivotally connected to the end cross bars 43 by a pin Figure 3.

As previously stated, the cross bars 43 and 43 are all slidably mounted on the pair of rails 25. Thus, each of the upper sections 44 of the cross bars'is provided with a pair of spaced openings 53, Figure 8, and a sleeve 52 is arranged in each of'the openings 53. The rails 25 slidably project through the sleeves 52, so'that damage to the cross bars will be prevented by the movement of the cross bars along the rails.

When the awning assembly is to be used, the cross bars 43 and cover 48 are in the extended or open position shown in Figures 1 and 3, so that occupants of the automobile 28 will be shielded from the direct rays of the sun. Also, the cover 48 will help protect the top of the vehicle from hail, rain, dew and the like. The hook members 49 engage the eyes 58 to maintain the cover 48 in its extended position. When the awning is not needed, it can be moved to a closed position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. Thus, to movethe cross bars and cover 48 from the solid line position of Figure 1 to the dotted line position, a pair of the hook members 49 are disengaged from the eyes 50, whereby the cross bars 43 can be readily slid along the rails 25 until the cross bars 43 occupy the dotted line position of Figure 1. The suction cups 35 and the hooks 38 on the straps 35 serve to anchor the awning assembly on top of the vehicle. Also, the brackets 40 are adapted to be engaged by cords or straps, whereby articles of luggage and the like can be anchored or secured on top of the vehicle.

The awning of the present invention will maintain the car comfortably cool for the occupants of the vehicle, as Well as provide a means for supporting luggage, and also the awning will provide shelter in case of hail and protection from dew when the car is parked outside. The various parts of the awning assembly can be made of any suitable material.

I claim: 9 a

1. In an awning assembly including ,a frame adapted to'be supported on the top of 2. ye hicle, said frame comprising a pair of arcuate shaped body members, horizontally disposed legs extending inwardly from each end of said'body members, an offset foot on the end of each leg, a horizontally disposed rod connected to and extending between the feet on each body mem,- her, a plurality of suction cups on each rod, 9. cover adjustably connected to said frame, means carried by said body members for maintaining the cover inextended position on said frame, and hook means extending from said frame and adapted to be connected to the top of the vehicle.

2. An awning assembly for mounting on the top of a vehicle comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on the top of the vehicle and including a pair of spaced parallelbody members, each of said body members comprising an upper arcuate rail, a horizontally disposed leg secured to each end of said rail, said horizontally disposed legs each terminating in a foot, a pair of rodsextending between said feet and connected thereto, suction cups arranged below said rods and adapted to engage the vehicle top, a pair of horizontally disposedbraces extending between said rods and secured thereto, an adjustable, strap connected to each end'of said braces, a hook arranged on the free ends of said straps, said hooks adapted to engage with the top of the vehicle, a plurality of cross bars each including an upper section 'and' a lower section detachably connected together, there being a pair of spaced openings in said upper section for the 'slidable projection therethrough of said rails, and a canvas cover positioned between the upper and lower sections of said cross bars and connected thereto, and coacting hooks and eyes for maintaining said 'cover in extended position. V

3. The apparatus as described in claim 2, and further including brackets secured to saidrods adapted to be used in anchoring articles 'of luggage. V V

4. The awning assembly as in claim 2 wherein means is provided on, said frame for attaching articles of lug age tosaidvframe.

ends of the arcuate rai1,:means connected to the flat portions of said bodymembers forremovably securing said body memberstothe top :o'fthe vehicle, a plurality of cross bars having openings adjacent each end thereof whereby said cross bars are slidably mounted on said body members, an elongated flexible cover connected to said cross bars and said cross bars adapted to be manually slid along on the arcuate rails of said body members to fold said cover into a compact unit at any desired point on the arcuate rails of said body members or slid to full opened position with relation to the top of the vehicle and means cooperating with said body members at the junction of said arcuate rails and said flat portions and the outermost cross bars to retain said cross bars and cover in fixed relation to, said body members.

ARLO E. RICE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

